Touch of Rain

by Teyla Branton

  A few minutes before what would have been dinnertime, if we hadn’t been fasting, a bell rang. Soon both men and women began setting up chairs in the square for the meeting I’d heard people talking about all day. Though Harmony Farms wasn’t a religion, many of the people joined together on Sundays to discuss ideas. Shortly, Korin began a riveting discourse on the joys of service and the evils of riches.

  “He’s missed his calling,” Jake said in my ear.

  I was standing on the square, leaning back against one of the vertical porch railings of the singles’ quarters. After sitting in front of the quilt for hours, I wasn’t about to sit again. My feet felt warm on the cement of the square. “You mean as a televangelist?”

  “He seems sincere.”

  “Mesmerizing, you mean. Look at everyone staring.”

  Jake chuckled. “If I were Gabe, I’d be worried.”

  Gabe was nowhere in sight. Nor was Harmony. I wondered if their disappearance involved a root cellar.

  “Did you go to the gate?” I asked.

  “Nothing was there.”

  I didn’t like that. Ethan had been searching for Marcie for over a year now, and he wouldn’t give up easily. I gave a frustrated sigh.

  “What?” Jake asked.

  “I heard Gabe and Korin talking about someone today. I thought they were talking about Inclar, that maybe Korin had found his body, but what if they were talking about Ethan? What if they found him?” It was the only explanation for why Ethan hadn’t yet brought the police.

  “We should try to get back your radio. That way we could contact him.”

  I regarded Jake with new admiration. “It’s probably in Korin’s office. The farthest door past the kitchen. Harmony pointed it out, remember?”

  “I’ll go now.”

  “What makes you think you’re going?”

  “He may be bigger than me, but I bet I could flatten him.”

  I scowled. “This has nothing to do with your hormones. If anyone goes, I should. Harmony seems to think he has a thing for me.”

  “Oh, so now who’s talking hormones?”

  I rolled my eyes. Big brother Jake playing his protective role again. “I’ve been thinking we should talk to him anyway. Tell him about Inclar. After all, he gave his brother money. That has to show he cares about him. He could help us nail Gabe.”

  “What if he’s involved?”

  I sighed. “I don’t know. But we’re still no closer to finding Marcie, and with Ethan missing, the police might not be on their way.”

  We were whispering, but a few of the others were looking at us pointedly, so we edged away from the meeting, walking around the singles’ quarters to the front of the main house.

  “I should go in now while Korin’s speaking,” I said.

  “I still think I should go.”

  I shook my head. “I’m the one who saw the body. And in case he catches me, I have to be the one who goes in.”

  “I’ll keep watch outside the door.”

  “Not so close. If I do get caught, someone needs to stay back and wait for a chance to either get me free or go for the police.”

  Jake’s lower jaw jutted out, and I was sure he’d refuse. He looked sexy and strong and stubborn. “Please,” I said.

  That was when I did something I hadn’t planned on. Something absolutely stupid and irresponsible.

  I kissed him.

  I couldn’t help myself. This might be the last time I saw him before our cover was blown.

  He didn’t respond for a moment, but then he kissed me back. Passion shuddered between us, setting every inch of me on fire. A delicious, mesmerizing fire that beckoned with promises of much more. When we drew away, we were both out of breath.

  “What was that for?” he growled, and I suppose that was his right since I’d started it.

  Why do you think? I wanted to shout. “Thanks for everything. You know, just in case things don’t go right.”

  He frowned. “That’s how you say thanks? We may only be friends, but I’m still human. You can’t kiss a guy like that unless you mean it.”

  I’d meant it, but his pointing out that we were only friends made me feel about two inches high. “Forget it,” I muttered. I turned away from him, not wanting to see his face again. Ever again. Not until I was good and dead from my embarrassment.

  His hand shot out and turned me around. “Autumn.”

  “What,” I said, still not looking at him.

  “Be careful.”

  That was it? But then, what did I expect? I sighed, and all the fight went out of me. “I will.”

  He held me to him for a long moment, and I rested my head on his shoulder. You shouldn’t hug a girl like this unless you mean it, I told him silently, but how many times had he held me exactly like this since Winter died? I’d needed him so much.

  His hand stroked my hair, his fingertips sinking to caress my scalp. The gesture reminded me of Essence and how I’d tried to comfort her. As a friend.

  “There’s something else I forgot to tell you,” I said with a frustrated sigh. “I think I might know where we should look for Marcie.”

  As I told him about the possibility of a root cellar, he nodded. “That makes perfect sense. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before.”

  “Uh, because neither of us lives on a farm?”

  He smiled. I smiled. We were back to being ourselves again. Friends.

  “I’m going now,” I said.

  “I’ll wait in the kitchen. That should be far enough away but close enough to hear you if you call out.”

  The front entrance to the house led into the large meeting room where we’d been working on the quilts. Those were finished now, the frames put away for another day, the room dark and empty of people.

  I walked through it and out into the hall, turning right. I passed the larger, back entrance on my left and Gabe’s office nearly opposite, wending my way down the hall to the kitchen and beyond. I could still hear Korin outside talking. What if his office was locked?

  I needn’t have worried. Like every other room in the place, there was no lock. I waved to Jake and went inside. The room was equipped with a large oak desk that took up as much space as a bed. There was a computer and shelves that held many books and two opaque plastic containers. A safe stood in the corner, and that was locked. Interesting. I wondered if Gabe had one in his office as well. Two of the desk drawers were also locked, but none had keyholes big enough to fit the key I still had wrapped up in my bra.

  I left the light off because it wasn’t dark outside yet, and though the light in the room was dim, it was sufficient. The obvious place to begin were the plastic boxes, as I could see electronics poking out of one. On closer inspection, I saw phones, music players of all sorts, car keys, and even a garage door opener. There. My radio. It felt cool in my hand, and I itched more than anything to get out of there and find a place to turn it on.

  The glint of a cell phone on Korin’s desk kept me from leaving. Why was it there instead of in the boxes with the others? Stuffing the radio in my front pocket—only possible because these old jeans were so loose—I walked over and picked it up. I expected something, an imprint, some slice of information, but there was nothing. Apparently, this phone didn’t mean much to the user. Or it was new. I opened it, pressed the red button, and punched in Tawnia’s number.

  It started ringing.

  Harmony had said there was no phone service here. What was going on? Apparently Korin had a plan that did have service. Or Harmony had lied.

  “Hello?” Tawnia said.

  “Hi. It’s me.”

  “Autumn! I’ve been so worried. Ethan said he’d call.”

  “He hasn’t?”

  “Not once. Is something wrong? I drew that man with the weird eye, the one who attacked you in your apartment. He looked dead! And you were fighting with some big guy. Tell me I’m imagining things. I’m going crazy here.”

  “Stop talking and listen. I don’t
know how much time I have.”

  “What do you mean? What’s going on?”

  I was about to tell her when the door opened. Korin stood there, his husky body framed by the light coming from the hallway. It had grown darker in the room, whether caused by a cloud in the sky or because I’d spent too long studying the electronics, I didn’t know. He flipped on the light switch. There I stood, behind his desk with his phone to my ear.

  Caught.

  Chapter 21

  Korin stood with his arms folded across his chest as I blundered on to Tawnia. “Yes, Deedy. I just wanted to make sure that little Shannon was taken care of,” I said into the phone. “Cats are pretty independent, I know, but he’s declawed and won’t last long on the street. If you could find him a home, I’d really appreciate it.”

  “What are you talking about? Are you and Jake okay? What does a cat have to do with anything? You aren’t talking about that detective, are you?”

  I pressed the phone tightly to my ear, cupping my hand over it to prevent her voice from carrying. “It’s exactly as I expected here. Lovely. You could join if you want. Of course your boyfriend might not want to leave his job. I know he’s worked a long time for that veterinarian clinic, but there are a ton of animals here. He’d like that. Hey, gotta go now. Just wanted to make sure Shannon didn’t starve.” I clicked off the phone and looked up into Korin’s blank expression.

  “What are you doing in here?” he asked, his voice mild.

  Outside I could hear someone else talking. Perhaps Gabe? I should have realized Korin wouldn’t be the only speaker at the meeting.

  “I came to talk to you,” I said. “And then I saw the phone and thought about this stray cat I’ve been feeding. I forgot to get someone to take care of him before I left. I came so suddenly. Well, you already know that.”

  “Why did you come to the farm, Autumn?” He shut the door behind him and came toward me, holding out his hand for the phone. I met him around the desk.

  “Because it seemed the right thing to do.”

  “Do you still feel the same?”

  I thought of Victoria and Marcie and Essence. Spring. “Yes.”

  “So you didn’t come to tell me you want to leave?”

  I shook my head. “I came because yesterday when I lost my way in the woods, I stumbled on a man. I-I think he was dead.” I paused as I considered how much to tell him. Should I say that I knew the man was his brother? Maybe not yet. I still didn’t know how far I could trust him. “He was a skinny man. Had something odd with one of his eyes. I was frightened so I ran away, but then I started worrying about it, so I went back and he wasn’t there. I was afraid to say anything because I didn’t want to be any trouble. Maybe I imagined it all.”

  I was particularly proud of the tremor in my voice on the last sentence. I told myself I was acting, not really scared, and that Tawnia would be proud since normally I couldn’t fake anything. I only wished my knees weren’t shaking so badly.

  Korin’s eyes gleamed. “You’re sure he was dead?”

  “I guess he could have been unconscious. It was dark and I didn’t have a light, but it was unnatural, the way he was lying there. I’m pretty sure he was dead. There was blood in the brush, and it looked like he’d been dragged away.”

  “I was afraid of this.” He sat down heavily in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The man you describe might be my brother. He used to be a disciple here, but he left. I helped him leave. But some people weren’t happy about it.” Korin’s voice was distant and unemotional, as though he either didn’t really care or was repressing great emotion.

  “I thought anyone could leave when they wanted.”

  “That’s the way it’s supposed to be. But some here do not feel the same way.”

  “Founder Gabe?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t see how anything could go on here without his knowing about it. I’m having a difficult time coming to terms with what I’ve discovered in the past few days. I’m not sure what to do.”

  I sat in the chair across from him. “What do you mean?”

  Korin didn’t respond but occupied himself in turning the phone around in his hand. “I got this satellite phone when we were in Portland last week in case I needed it. I guess I felt even then that something might be wrong.” He fell silent for a moment but then shook himself. “Maybe you can help me.”

  “Me?” I didn’t like the sound of this.

  Korin went around the desk, reaching in his pocket for a key. From inside the top drawer, he pulled out a man’s thick silver bracelet and offered it to me. “You said you feel things sometimes. What do you feel on this?”

  I took it hesitantly because Korin obviously thought it was important. The instant the metal touched my palm I felt the anger. White hot anger that consumed.

  “Why did you let him go?” I/Gabe said. “Don’t you know what you’ve done? The police will be investigating the murder. They could track him back here.”

  Korin’s face, crumpling with fear before my fury. “He’s my brother. I had no choice. Please, forgive me.”

  There were earlier imprints associated with the bracelet, quiet, peaceful ones that had been all but obliterated by this confrontation.

  “What have you done?” I sneered again as the first imprint began to replay,

  I let the links slide between my fingers and fall onto the desk. “Your brother,” I said. “The man was your brother. Gabe was angry at you for letting him leave.”

  “At the time I thought it was because my brother was unbalanced after his wife deserted him, and Gabe wanted to make sure he was okay before he left. But now I’m beginning to think Gabe had no intention of ever letting him go, and that makes me wonder about the others who’ve wanted to leave here. Maybe they’re not really leaving. They don’t take anything with them when they go.” Korin shut the drawer without relocking it and came around the desk.

  “Come with me. There’s something I want to show you. Maybe you can pick up some impressions there. It’s the place where my brother was held before I let him out.”

  “What if that’s where someone’s hidden his body?” And Marcie? Would we finally stumble on her?

  Korin’s hand was on my shoulder, his fingers digging into my bruise with a little too much pressure.

  “Uh, you’re hurting me,” I said.

  “Sorry.” He eased up on my shoulder. “I’m having a hard time thinking of my brother being dead. If it really is my brother.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  Tears glistened in his eyes. “I don’t know.”

  “Shouldn’t you call the police?”

  “We aren’t in any city. Gabe is the law here.”

  That made me shiver. Marcie had trusted Gabe and look where it had gotten her.

  As we passed the kitchen, I glanced in and saw Jake talking to Scarlet. He didn’t react, but his eyes met mine. I knew he’d be following me shortly.

  The meeting was disbanding as we walked out onto the back porch. Gabe and Harmony were there, casually talking with others. Gabe spotted Korin and motioned him over with an imperious wave.

  “I’d better go,” Korin whispered. “I don’t want to make him suspicious. I’ll show you the place later.”

  Jake came from the house, still talking with Scarlet. Without so much as looking my way, he went into the square and started playing basketball with a group of boys.

  That’s when I saw Victoria staring at me from the square, her round face a mask of indifference. No, not quite indifference, because there was fear in every line of her body as her gaze slipped to where Korin was conversing with Gabe. I felt sick because all at once I realized that her chubbiness in the shapeless dress that she wore wasn’t due to overeating at her job.

  Victoria was going to have a baby.

  But who was the father? I had no way to determine if her pregnancy had driven her here five and a half months ago, or if
it had begun later. I wanted to go to her and throw my arms around her, but I knew she wouldn’t welcome it.

  When Korin returned to my side, both Gabe and Harmony were with him. Korin’s face was tense, his eyes darting back and forth, but when he spoke, he sounded normal. “Gabe would like to come along on our little walk,” he said to me.

  “And me too.” Harmony firmly took my arm, and we stepped off the porch together.

  I didn’t like the way things were going. Turning my head, I caught Korin’s eye, but he shrugged. Apparently, he was as afraid of Gabe as I was. Gabe’s face was black as death, and he looked much older and more frightening. Couldn’t anyone see the change?

  Harmony did. She released me and took Gabe’s arm. He didn’t appear to notice.

  Korin drifted to my side. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Just come along.”

  “Where are we going?” Surely Korin wouldn’t take me to examine the hidden room now.

  “To the body.”

  To the body? “He knows where your brother is?”

  “He claims Inclar was found earlier today in the woods by one of the boys. So Gabe had him moved to the place I was going to show you. Once we’re there, touch things. See if there’s any proof about who did it.”

  “But are we safe with him?”

  “I think so. He’ll blame the murder on someone else. An outsider maybe. Perhaps whoever attacked our men last night. As long as we don’t openly accuse him of anything, we should be fine.”

  We walked in silence, the world seeming darker once we’d entered the woods, though it wasn’t yet dusk. I hoped Jake had seen me leave and was following. We were heading in what I thought was the direction of the new house. I didn’t want to go along, but I was curious despite myself.

  I also wondered about Ethan. I was almost sure Gabe had him stashed somewhere. I opened my mouth to ask Korin if Ethan was the man he and Gabe had been talking about earlier, but caution stopped me. Something about this whole situation didn’t feel right. If Gabe was connected with Inclar’s death, why would he show us the evidence instead of getting rid of it?

  Perhaps his rule here was so absolute that he had no fear of being caught.